Catapult



L. S. ADAMS May 12, 1942.

CATAPULT Filed Nov. 12, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 l :Srwentor L9/fz@fafa/Jaws s Gttornegs L. S. ADAMS May 12, 1942.

CATAPULT Fild NOV. l2, 1,958

3 sheets-sheet s rwentor .ZZfZ'e AfA/m15' l mm, www;

Patented May 12, 1942 CATAPULT Lytle S. Adams, Irwin, Pa., assignor toAll American Aviation,

Delaware Inc., a corporation of Application November 12, 1938, SerialNo. 240,201

11 Claims.

'This invention relates to mechanical devices for projecting articlesthrough the air, particularly in the aviation industry and in warfare,although the invention is not restricted to such uses.

The device depends for its motive force upon energy stored in rubbercords such as are used in the aviation industry for taking up the shockupon the airplane from the wheels in taking off and making landings, andone of the objects of my invention is to enable a number of such cordsto be combined as desired for obtaining the amount of energy requiredfor projecting different articles and for a variety of purposes.

Other objects of the invention are to provide for safeguarding theapparatus from the Violence of its action under full power, and toenable it to be `tripped automatically and reset manually by a singleattendant, as hereinafter described.

The invention may be readily embodied in portable forms adapted tothrowing grenades and bombs, launching depth charges, projectingtorpedoes, and similar purposes, and for accelerating articles to bepicked up by moving vehicles. In the accompanying drawings the inventionis illustrated as applied to catapulting mail and express pouches forenabling them to be caught and carried away by aircraft flying overhead.

Referring to the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a catapult as arranged for projecting apouch to be picked up by an airplane, a portion of the cover beingremoved to expose the Working parts within;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the en tire cover removed;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation looking at the discharge end of the apparatusshown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 4 is a plan o-f the head, trigger and snubbing mechanism, drawn toan enlarged scale;

Figs. 5 and 6 are side views of the trigger portion of the same, Fig. 5being a section on the line 5 5 in Fig. 4, looking in the direction ofthe arrows, and Fig. 6 looking in the opposite direction;

Fig. 7 is a face view of the head; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the complete catapult.

The catapult shown in the drawings comprises a cornucopia shape framemade of angle and channel irons and covered on the sides and top withsheet metal I I, the rear portion of the frame being normally closed bymeans of a hinged cover I2 fitted with a clasp I3 similar to thoseusedfor automobile hoods so as to permit it to be raised upon its hingedend I4` to give access to the working parts of the apparatus.

The side frame members I5 converge" at their `rear ends and are securedto angle connections I6 provided with alining bearings for a cross shaftI1, the ends of which are fixed inlugs I8 formed to'slide on the guidesI9 which in` turn are supported in brackets 20 bolted to planks2| orother secure foundation. Springs 22 are arranged on the guides I9between the brackets and lugs I8 to take up some of the shock on theframe when the catapult is discharged.

The front ends of the frame members I5 are adjustably supported onmovable posts `23 by means of swivels 24 which can be clamped to theposts by hand screws 25 at any desired vertical position. The lower endsof the post 23 are hinged to the planks 2l or other foundation supportso as to be free to oscillate lengthwise of the catapult to permit theentire frame and mechanism supported thereby to move back and forth, thetwo planks or side supports constituting a flexible articulatedfoundation for the rigid metal frame work which supports the workingparts of the apparatus.

In the space between the front and rear ends of the side frame membersI5 are cross members 25, 21 for supporting the catapult head 28 andsnubbing mechanism, which are normally held in position for operation bymeans of a tube 29 secured to said cross members in such a way as to beadjustable in a vertical angle but held against longitudinal movement.In the device shown, the rear end of the tube 29 is provided with athrust member or flange 30 having a rounded face to bear against thevertical flange or leg of the cross member 26 through which it passes,and near the forward end of the tube 29 is a collar 3l which worksbetween the vertical struts 32 connecting the upper and lower crossmembers 21 to guide the tube in a vertical plane.

Below the forward end of the tube 29 and eX- tending forwardly in frontof and below the normal position of the head 28, are a series of lingerbars 33, supported at their rear ends Von the lower cross member 21 andat an intermediate point by the cross member 34 which is bent at themiddle to conform approximately to the arc of a circle having its centerat the normal center position of the catapult head, the finger barsbeing slightly splayed to conform to the flare of the frame. Thus thefinger bars 33 form a longitudinal cage-like support for the pouch orarticle to be projected, .as indicated vin Fig. 1,

but flexible ensemble that will withstand severe e shocks withoutbreaking or coming apart.

Around the circumference of the face plate 36 inside its outer edge arespaced a series of U bolts 40 riveted through the rear face of the plateand straddling the outer ring 31, with their closed ends projectingthrough the front face to provide a series of loops into which the rearends of the rubber cords 4| may be hooked by means of the S-hooks 42with which the latter are fitted. The forward ends of the cords 4| areprovided with similar hooks for engaging in the front cord supports 43,hinged one on each side tothe vertical side bars 44 of the frame at itsforward end. The hinges between the cord supports and frame side barspermit the supports to swing around their vertical axes from theirnormal positions The keeper is provided with a roller A65 which nts intoa slight notch in the face of the trigger latch near its extremity toassist in holding the keeper and trigger in latched position, as shownin Fig. 4, in which position the catapult head is securely vheld inplace on the end of the tube 29.

The keeper may be released by a jerk on the article, as shown in fulllines in Fig. 4. Upon Vfacing inwards towards the catapult head prior todischarge to follow the line of flight upon discharge, and may faceoutwards at the comple-- tion thereof.

In the device illustrated there are twenty U- loops 40 and each cordsupport 43 is provided with ten holes, to receive the `S- hooks on thefront ends of the cords 4 i, but only ten cords are shown in use. Thenumber of cords may be varied from two or four to twenty, depending uponthe force needed for the particular object to be projected, and the sizeof the cords may be changed also to adapt the device to different loadsand distance requirements, these cords being procurable in several sizesand lengths,

The catapult head is ,secured to the snubbing device by means of a cable46 which is attached to an eye 41 on the hub 35 (see Fig. 6) and eX-tends through a slot 48 in the lower side of the tubev 29 to the rearend thereof, where it is conpulling the cord 69, the operating end ofthe lever 66 will move away from the keeper 63 and carry the link 68along withit, dislodging the` roller 65 from its seat, and freeing thetrigger 60, which swings out of the tube to release the head 28, asshown in broken lines in Fig. 4. As the head and keeper'move away, thepin connection 10 pulls out of the jaws 1I on the end of the keeper,leaving the link 68 pinned to the releasinglever 66. f,

During the setting of the head, while stretching the rubber cords andplacing the article to be projected in operative position, the link 69is swung around on its pin connection 10 to project into the adjacentslot in the tube 29, as shown in ydot land dash lines in Fig. 4, whereit is pinned 'hole in the end of the link; and when everything nected toa solid plunger 49, having a loose sliding 't in the tube. the tube 29presses the plunger 49 towards the rear end of the tube, the front endof the spring seating against a washer 5l which abuts against the innerend of a tubular liner 52 secured in the front end of the tube 29 tostrengthen it, as

shown in Fig. 4. The rear end of the tube 29 is closed by a diaphragm 53having an aperture 54 to check the :dow of air into and out of the spacein the tube between it and the plunger 49, thus Y acting4 as a recoilybuffer to prevent the plunger Yfrom slammingagainst the diaphragm aftereach discharge of the catapult. There is' sufficient slack in the cable46 to .permit the head 28 to be thrown to about the front end oftheframe before checking it, this slack being coiled on the finger bars Y33behind the head in its normal position as shown in Fig. 1. The triggermechanism comprises a trigger leverp'ivoted to lugs or ears 6i on theexterior` A compression spring inY setting of the device the releasinglever 'is out of operative connection with the keeper, and the triggeris positively locked in position to hold the catapult head againstmovement.

If the load to be projected does not weigh more than one man can lift, avsingle attendant can place the load in the catapult, draw back theenergy storing cords one at a time'and hook them in place on the face ofthe head or on the cord supports 43, set the trigger mechanism, and theapparatus is ready for action.

In the form of apparatus illustrated, which is shown as arranged foraccelerating a pouch to be picked up in the air by a passing aircraft,the lifting cable or line 15 attached to the pouch is provided at itsother end with a loop or Aother means for engagement with ya trailingcable, grapple, hook or other device carried by the aircraft, and whencontact is made therewith,-the sudden jerk on the cable 15 istransmitted to the releasing lever 66 by means of a light cord 16connecting the cable and cord 69,y which parts after serving its purposeof actuating the releasing mechanism. The cord 16 may be adjusted tooperate the releasing mechanism before all the slack is taken out of thecable 15, so that the bagvv What I claim as my invention is as follows:

l. A catapult having a rigid frame comprising side members extendingfrom end to end thereof, a base having relatively movable partsunderlying said side members, a vertically adjustable mounting for oneend of the frame and a pivot for the other end both supported on saidbase, said adjustable mounting comprising two supporting rods, one oneach side of the frame, each hinged to said base at one end and providedwith an adjustable clamp for engaging the adjacent frame side member,whereby the angle of inclination of the frame to the horizontal can bereadily changed as desired by changing the position of said clamps withrespect to said rods irrespective of the position of said base.

2. In a catapult of the kind described in claim 1 wherein the supportingrods are hinged to swing in planes parallel to the longitudinal axis ofthe device, spring recoil means associated with the pivoted end of theframe, between it and the adjacent parts of said base.

3. A catapult having a frame, a vertically adjustable mounting for oneend of the frame, a

pivot mounting for the other end of the frame,

a disc-like head for engaging an article to be projected, triggermechanism for releasably holding said head near the pivot end of theframe, and a plurality of rubber cords each independently secured at oneend to said head near its perimeter and at the other end to said framenear its vertically adjustable end, whereby the angle of dischargeflight of said article to the horizontal and number of cords supplyingenergy thereto can be adjusted to suit the desired range.

4. A resilient head for a catapult comprising a metal center part, aperipheral ring, metal connections radially disposed between said centerpart and ring, and vulcanized rubberized fabric embracing said metalparts and ring and having sufficient stiiness to form a support for thearticle to be projected.

5. A resilient head for la catapult comprising a metal center part, aperipheral ring, metal connections between said center part and ring,and

vulcanized rubberized fabric embracing said metal parts and ring andhaving suicient stiffness to form a support for the article to beprojected, said center part having a hub projecting from its rear sidefor supporting said head in position to be releasably engaged by atrigger mechanism.

6. A resilient head for a catapult comprising a metal center part havinga hub for receiving a supporting and guiding member, a peripheral ring,metal connections between said center part and ring, and vulcanizedrubberized fabric embracing said metal parts and ring and havingsufcient stiffness to form a support for the article to be projected,said ring supporting a circular series of attaching members projectingfrom said head to receive the ends of individual energy applyingmembers.

7. A catapult having a frame with an open front end, a guide memberconnected to the rear end of said frame, said guide member beingunrestrained at its front end and free to pivot about its rear end in avertical plane extending centrally of the frame, a resilient head havinga hub adapted to seat on the free end of said guide Lil) member, triggermechanism between said hub and guide member for retaining said headagainst movement, energy storing cords connected to said head and to thefront end o1" said frame near its sides, and means for altering thevertical height of the points of connection of the front ends of saidcords to the frame.

8. A catapult having a frame with an open front end, a retaining andguide member connected at its rear end to the rear end of said frame andwith its iront end exposed, a resilient head having a hub adapted toseat on the exposed end of said guide member, trigger mechanism betweensaid hub and guide member for retaining said head against movement,energy storing cords connected to said head and to the front end of saidframe near its sides, and means for supporting an article to beprojected in front of said head, said article support having fingersprojecting between said cords to avoid contact therewith.

9. A catapult having a frame with an open front end, a guide memberconnected to the rear end of said frame, spring means associated withsaid guide member and an air check for snubbing the recoil actionthereof, a resilient head having a hub adapted to seat on the free endof said guide member, a iieXible cable connecting said spring means andhead, trigger mechanism between said hub and guide member for retainingsaid head against movement, energy storing cords connected to said headand to the front end of said frame near its sides, and means forreleasing said trigger mechanism to permit said head to be projected bysaid cords as far as said flexible cable will permit.

10. A catapult having a frame providing a support for a triggermechanism at one end and a plurality of attaching points for energystoring cords at the other end, a circular head adapted to be restrainedby said trigger mechanism, said head being provided withcircumferentially spaced means for securing a plurality of energystoring cords thereto, energy storing cords stretched between saidattaching points and securing means in spaced non-interfering relation,means below said head for supporting an article to be projected, saidarticle supporting means comprising spaced bars having portionsprojecting between said energy storing cords out of contact therewithand free from interference therewith during the discharge movement ofsaid head.

11. A catapult having a rigid frame articulated to separate base membersproviding a ilexible foundation structure, said structure comprising inaddition to said frame and base members a vertically adjustable mountingfor one end of the frame movably supported upon said base members and apivoted support for the other end of the frame carried by said basemembers whereby the angle of inclination of the frame to the horizontalcan be readily changed as desired, and recoil means for the pivoted endof said frame including a pair of longitudinal slideways mounted one oneach of said base members and independent of each other, respectively,slides on said ways, springs between said slides and the ends of saidways, and a pivot member carried by said slides to which said frame ispivotally connected.

LYTLE S. ADAMS.

